Food service window



Aug. 13, 1957 s. G. HODGES FOOD SERVICE WINDOW 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 16, 1955 Samuel 6. Hodges INVENTOR.

' BY M0 Aug. 13, 1957 Filed Aug. 16, 1955 S. G. HODGES FOOD SERVICE WINDOW F/g 2 /0 //a 9 l0 v o :1 ME 2 I 5 l6 A :5 //a 7 A, T 5 J //a F C111 1'. 25 26 24 F/g 3 Fig 4 Samuel 6. Hodges IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent 9 FOOD SERVICE WINDOW Samuel G. Hodges, Waco, Tex.

Application August 16, 1955, Serial No. 523,633

3 Claims. (Cl. 20-52) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in food service windows for use in meat markets or the like where food is served to a customer through a window in an enclosed room to an outside area.

An important object of the invention is to equip a vertically sliding window with mechanical means for automatically raising the window and latch means for holding the window in a lowered closed position and which may be easily and quickly released by the clerk while holding the packages to be passed through the window to a customer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a window operating mechanism of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efficient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purpose for which the same is intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a front elevational view;

Figure 2 is a top plan view;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on a line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on a line 4--4 of Figure l; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the catch brackets.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numerals 5 and 6 designate a pair of uprights for a window frame and to the inside of which vertical metal guide strips 7 and 8 are suitably secured. Each of the guide strips include a vertical channel 9 in which a window sash 10 is vertically slidable.

A vertical chamber 11a is also integrally formed with each of the guide strips 7 and 8 to house a counterbalancing weight 11 which is attached to one end of a rope or cable 12 trained over a pulley 13 which is rotatably supported on a pin 14 secured at the upper portion of chamber 11a. The other end of the rope or cable 12 is attached to an eye 15 on the upper edge of the window sash 10, one of the counterbalancing weights 11 being attached to the window sash adjacent each side edge thereof to prevent the window sash from tilting while being raised and thus avoid binding thereof in the channel 9.

Patented Aug. 13, 1957 A pair of latch brackets 16 of angle construction are secured to the upper portion of the window sash 10 adjacent the side edges thereof and each bracket includes a forwardly projecting flange or keeper 17 having a downwardly sloping front end portion 18.

A U-shaped latch rod 19 is formed with a crank arm 20 on its end rotatably supported in bearing brackets 21 secured to the front surface of each chamber 11a. Each crank arm 20 is formed with a forwardly projecting handle 22 terminating in a knob 23.

A coil spring 24 is mounted on each crank arm 20 with one end of the spring 25 anchored in a transverse opening 26 in the crank arm while the other end 27 of the spring bears against the front surface of the weight chamber 11a.

In operation of the device the springs 24 turn the crank arms 20 in the bearing 21 to normally swing the latch rod 19 upwardly to a raised position, as shown in Figure l of the drawings, and when the window sash 10 is lowered the beveled or sloping end 18 of the latch brackets 16 will cam the latch rod forwardly and downwardly and slide under the latch bar, whereupon, the springs 24 will return the latch rod to raised position over the latch brackets 16 to lock the window sash 10 in its closed position. A downward pressure subjected to either handle 22 will turn the crank arms 20 in the bearing brackets 21 to swing the latch rod 19 forwardly and downwardly, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 4 to clear the latch brackets 16 and the weight 11 will then gravitate in the chambers 11a to hold the window sash 10 upwardly into its raised position.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention H to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A service window structure comprising a frame having side members, a window sash slidably mounted at opposite sides thereof in said members for raising and lowering movement, a pair of vertical chambers fixed to said side members, counterweights slidable in said chambers and operatively connected to said sash to raise the same, a pair of catch brackets on opposite sides of said sash projecting outwardly therefrom, a U-shaped latch rod having crank ends rockably mounted on said chambers for swinging of said rod upwardly and downwardly to engage over and disengage said brackets respectively to latch said sash down and release the same for raising by said counterweight when released, and a crank handle on one of said crank ends for rocking the same.

2. A service window as in claim 1, said rod being spring tensioned for swinging upwardly.

3. A service window as in claim 2, said bracket having inclined ends for camming said rod downwardly in response to lowering of said sash.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 630,716 King Aug. 8; 1899 

